Electrical apparatus



Sept. 1, 1942. M. c. COOLEY ELECTRICAL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 10, 1940 M. C. COOLEY ELECTRICAL AFPARATUS Sept. 1, 1942.

Filed Oct. 10', 1940 FIG.3.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 1, 1942 UNITED STATE anac'rarcu.maaa'rus Murray 0. Cooley, University City, Mo a-imr to W. N. MatthewsCorporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri ApplicationOctober 10, 1940, Serial No. 360,564

9Clalms.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus, and with regard tocertain more specific features, to a combined switch and lightningarrester.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision ofa lightning-arrester gap, in association with switch means or the likewhich is preferably of the closed variety; and the provision ofapparatus of the classdescribed which uses to best advantage certain gapand switch constructions requiring only a simple addition to bring aboutan economical but effective combination for relieving the switchapparatus of lightning and like surges. Other objects will be in partobvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the eleclips it and ii are rivetedrespectively to tubular conducting line terminals 21 and 29.

Generally speaking, enclosing boxes of this type are provided in theirhousings with four openings, such as indicated at ll, 33, I and I1.Opposite these openings within the .box are axially located the tubularline terminals 21 and 19. Cylindric wire-receiving portions 39, ll, 43

ments and combinations of elements, features of construction, andarrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structureshereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will beindicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention, I

Fig. l is a side elevation;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation taken from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side elevation of a fuse switch, partsbeing broken away for clarity; and,

Fig. 4 is an elevation taken from the right of Fig. 3, but showing adoor and fuse holder removed.

- Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I across arm of a pole or the like (not shown) which carries a bracket 3for the enclosing housing 5 of a fuse switch box shown generally atnumeral I. The fuse switch is exemplary of various enclosed switches towhich this invention appertains. The housing 5 has a pivot 9 upon whichis-hinged a door H, adapted to be controlled from a handle I3 foropening and closing. Full details of a fuse switch box are shown forexample in the Birkenmaier United States Patent 2,176,045, dated October17, 1939.

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the door I l carries a fuse holder it,having terminal-engaging elements i1 and i9 connected by a fuse link 2|.The terminal-engaging elements I1 and I! contact and II are opposite theopenings 3|, 33, 35 and II, respectively. Suitable set screws, such asshown at ll, serve to hold whatever line wires are brought into theproper openings, thus making electrical contact between therespective-line wire and the proper line terminal.

Since only one wire connection needs to be made with each tubular lineterminal 21 or 29 (see for example wires 49 and BI) the remaining unusedopenings in the box are ordinarily shut by means of a cork or the like,as indicated for example at II. Heretofore these unused openings haveserved no useful purpose after the line wires have been connected to theline terminals. Likewise, one pair of the wire-receiving sockets 39, ll,43 and I! was unused, together with respective set screws. The presentinvention makes use of one of these in connection with a lightningarrester gap.

At numeral is shown a conducting bracket held in part by means of a bolt56, and in part by means of a nail 58. This bracket has a horizontalportion 51, with which is associated a wire connector 59 for connectinga ground wire H. The ground wire ll is suitably grounded foraccommodating lightning surges and the like.

At the end of the horizontal bracket 55 is carried a tubular gap membershown generally at El and being of the general type shown in the UnitedStates patent application of Carl E. Mosley, Serial No. 345,944, filedJuly 17, 1940, for Electrical apparatus. Full details of this device aredisclosed in said application; but briefly, it consists of an upperconducting head 85 and a lower conducting head .I joined by aninsulating tube 69. The lower head 61 is in electrical connection withthe bracket SI. Within the insulating tube 69 is a conducting rod llreaching from the upper conducting and enclosing head downward into thetube 9. It is spaced from a lower conducting member ll by means of a gap15 in an insulating 0 plug 16. The member I! is in conductingrelationship with respect to the bottom member 61 being threaded throughan extension 91 therefrom. A lock nut ll holds any predeterminedthreaded adjustment of the member II up against with spring clips 23 and25, respectively. The 55 the plug II. The member 61 rests upon theconducting bracket 55 and is held in an opening in the bracket by thestud 81 and holding nut 89 which isthreaded thereon. Openings 88 inmember 8! permit exit of gases engendered upon breakdown through the gap15. All of this is shown insaid application.

The conducting head 65 is provided with a cylindric passage or bore 11for receiving a gap arm 79 at a horizontal cylindric portion. The arm I8may rotate and slide in the opening 11. A bent portion 8| forms an angle83. A set screw 85 serves to hold the gap arm 18 in any adjusted axialor rotary position. The unit 63 being adjustably held to'the bracket 55by bolt 81 and nut 89, it may be rotated. Hence there are two degrees ofrotary adjustment for the gap arm 18, one about a vertical axis, and theother about a horizontal axis. In addition, the gap arm is adjustableaxially along the horizontal axis.

Considering the wire 49 as the main line wire of the switch box 1, thereis inserted in the same line terminal element 21 which carries said wirea right angular gap arm 9| which has a vertical portion 93 and ahorizontal portion 95. The horizontal portion is inserted throughopening 3| into the respective socket 39 and held by the respective setscrew 41,,thus forming a gap-forming extension from the line 49. Byrotating the member 63 and the gap arm 19, and if necessary adjustingthe gap arm 19 axially, a gap 91 may be established between the gap arm9| and the gap arm 19. Since the vertical portion 93 of the gap arm Siis substantial in length, the point at which the bracket 55 is mountedis not critical.

Operation is as follows:

Assuming that the fuse switch box is fused as indicated in Fig. 3, thecircuit under normal volt-- ages is from the main line 49, socket ll,line terminal 21, terminal-engaging element ll, fuse link 2|,terminal-engaging element l9, line terminal 29, socket 43, and to thedistribution line 5|. The circuit may be opened by swinging open thedoor 1 I, or by fusion at reduced section 22 of the fuse 2|. Under theabove circumstances, nothing occurs at the gap 91.

However, when a lightning or similar surge occurs, it passes directlythrough the line. terminal 21 to the socket 39, gap arm 9|, gap 91, gaparm 19, and through the device 63 to the bracket 55, whence the surge isgrounded over the wire 8!. This grounding thus occurs without puttingthe fuse box out of order.

It is to be understood that the invention is applicable to variousenclosed types of switches, for example those in which there issubstituted for the fuse-carrying member shown in Fig. 3 a switch bladeon the door II.

There are various advantages in the invention. The relatively longvertical portion 93 permits of application of the bracket 55 at any oneof various vertical elevations, and the rotary characteristic of thetube 63, plus the rotary characteristic of the gap arm 19 and its axialadjustment, permits of adjusting the gap 91 as desired. Furthermore,axial and rotary adjustment of the horizontal arm 95 in the lineterminal 21 makes adjustment more universal.

No change needs to be made in connection with the switch box, except toleave out the cork in one of the unused wire inlet openings and insertthe gap arm 9|. In addition to what is shown in said Mosley applicationand said Birkenmaier patent, there is only needed the part SI, and asuitable juxtaposition of the brackets 3 and 55 and the parts carriedthereby.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. The combination in electrical apparatus, of switch means having lineterminals, each line terminal having a pair of line receiving openingsonly one of which is used for line receiving purposes, a gap arm in oneof the unused line receiving openings, 2. second gap arm spaced withrespect to the first-named gap arm, a. grounded bracket for the secondgap arm adapted to be positioned at various points with respect to theswitch means, the first-named gap arm having a horizontal portionproviding a rotary adjustment in connection with the switch and avertical portion, and the second-named gap arm having two degrees ofrotary adjustment and an axial adjustment with respect to the gap arm onthe switch.

2. In an electrical switch, a box, a pair of line terminals in the box,switch means for electrically connecting and disconnecting said lineterminals, a pair of wire-receiving sockets associated with at least oneof the line terminals, one of said sockets receiving a line wire, and agap arm extending from the other socket, said box having openings forpassage of the line wire and the gap arm respectively and a grounded gaparm adapted to be mounted adjacent to the switch in various positionsand having a spaced relation with respect to the first gap arm, saidgrounded arm being adjustable.

3. In an electrical switch, a pair of line terminals, switch means forelectrically connecting and disconnecting said line terminals, a pairof' wire-receiving sockets associated with at least one of the lineterminals, one of said sockets receiving a line wire, an adjustable gaparm extending from the other socket and having a vertical portion, and asecond grounded gap arm adapted to be mounted adjacent to the switch invarious positions and having a spaced relation with respect to the firstgap arm, and being relatively adjustable with respect to said verticalportion.

4. In electrical apparatus, an enclosed switch comprising a housing boxhaving four line-receiving openings, line terminals within the boxadjacent to the openings, each of said terminals having two sockets, oneof which is presented to a respective opening for receiving a conductorthrough the opening. line conductors attached in at least one opening ineach pair, a gap arm extending from the other opening in at least one ofthe pairs and through the adjacent opening in the housing, and a secondgap arm adapted to be adjustably mounted adjacent to the box in variouspositions and having a spaced relationship with respect to the gap armwhich extends from the box. I

5. In. electrical apparatus, an enclosed switch comprising a housing boxhaving [our line-receiving openings, line terminals within the boxadjacent to the openings, each of said terminals having two sockets, oneor which is presented to a respective opening for receiving a conductorthrough the opening, line conductors attached in at least one opening ineach pair, an adjustable gap arm extending from the other opening in atleast one of the pairs and through the adjacent opening in the housingand turned extericrly to provide a vertical portion, and a second gaparm adapted to be mounted in various positions adjacent to the box andhaving a spaced relationship with respect to the gap arm which extendsfrom the bcx,,said second gap arm being adjustable to adjust the gap andto compensate for various positions of the second gap arm with respectto the switch.

6. In electrical apparatus, a switch compris ing a line terminal and aload terminal, said line terminal having two line-receiving sockets, oneof which is presented to receive a conductor, an adjustable gap' armextending from the other socket and angled exteriorly to provide amovable portion upon rotation of the gaparm in ,the socket, a separategrounded unit adapted to be mounted in various positions spaced from theswitch, and a second gap arm adjustably mounted on said second unit tocompensate for various positions of the second unit with respect to theswitch and at the same time to obtain a predetermined gap between saidtwo gap arms.

7. In electrical apparatus, {switch comprising a line terminal and aload terminal, said line terminal having two line-receiving sockets, oneof which is presented to receive a conductor, an adjustable gap armextending from the other socket and angled exteriorly to provide amovable portion upon rotation of the gap arm in the socket, a separategrounded unit adapted tobe mounted in various positions spaced from theswitch, and a second gap arm adjustably mounted on said second unit tocompensate for various positions of the second unit with respect to theswitch and to obtain a predetermined gap adjustment between said two gaparms, said second unit incorporating in its assembly a secondpredetermined gap in series with said adjustable gap which is unchangedby variations in positions of said units.

8. In electrical apparatus, a switch unit, a separate groundin unit,means for mounting each of said units independently in various relatedpositions, an adjustable gap arm extending from the switch unit and anadjustable gap arm ex tending from the grounding unit, said arms beingrelatively adjustable to compensate for various relative positions ofthe units and to efiect a predetermined gap between the gap arms at suchvarious positions.

9. In electrical apparatus, a switch unit, a sep arate grounding unit,means for mounting each of said units independently in various relatedpositions, an adjustable gap arm extending from the switch unit and anadjustable,arm extending from the grounding unit to compensate forvarious relative positions of the units and to effect a predeterminedgap between the gap arms under such conditions, the gap arm extendingfrom the switch unit having a vertical component to provide forvariations in elevational posltions of the grounding unit and the gaparm on the grounding unit being extensible laterally to compensate forvarious lateral spacings between the switch and grounding units.

MURRAY C. COOLEY.

